


You are here, and so am I, and I only have eyes for you

by hkandi



Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Baby It's Cold Outside, Developing Relationship, Emotional turmoil at times, Happy Ending I promise!, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, M/M, So is Tenzou, Some angst, brrr - Freeform, it all works out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-30
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26623504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hkandi/pseuds/hkandi
Summary: Just two guys trying to figure out this thing called life, after a few changes. Kakashi has left ANBU and is a jonin-sensei. Tenzou remains active ANBU, trying to deal with his feelings about, well, a bit of everything. What does this mean for them, personally and professionally?
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou, Hatake Kakashi/Yamato | Tenzou
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48
Collections: r/NarutoFanfiction Gift Exchange





	You are here, and so am I, and I only have eyes for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wafflelate](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflelate/gifts).



> Title from lyrics from The Flamingos' song "I Only Have Eyes For You"

(I don't own any characters etc etc)

Tenzou closed his locker in the ANBU lounge and sighed as he was hit in the face with water.

Some of the ANBU in the room laughed at him, and he shook his head, wiping his face.

"He got you again, eh?" someone called out, and Tenzou shrugged.

"I thought he was away," another ANBU said. "Out of town or something?"

"Well, he still apparently had time to set up this stupid prank," Tenzou complained. "Of all the ways to use a jutsu? Seriously?"

He left the lounge, the sounds of laughter still ringing in his ears, and grumbled to himself as he headed back out to the village.

"Stupid senpai and his stupid pranks," he muttered to himself as he headed for a particular tree.

Tenzou ignored the sun streaming over the village, ignored the birds chirping, the pleasant hum of Konoha, as he darted forward in his ANBU gear.

He silently landed in a tree, crouching on a large branch, his chakra well and truly masked.

And yet...

"Maa, you should really dry your hair or you'll catch a cold," a voice called out from a branch below him.

Tenzou sighed and rolled his eyes, appearing next to the owner of the voice.

"Pretty proud of yourself, aren't you?" he asked, but the copy nin only shrugged, his eyes not leaving his book.

"It was something to do. The brats rubbed off on me, I guess."

"I suppose I should be glad it was only water," Tenzou sighed, leaning against the tree trunk. "This time."

"This time," Kakashi agreed, finally looking up and giving Tenzou a trademark eye smile. "I only tease out of love."

Tenzou felt his face heat up underneath his mask, and he shifted his weight slightly, a move not missed by the other man.

"You shouldn't say things like that," Tenzou said.

"Why?" 

They looked at each other in silence.

Tenzou cleared his throat. 

"Because...because it's immature," he said. "It's what children do, pull each other's hair and adults say it's because they like each other."

Kakashi looked at him and blinked. "So?"

"So...just don't," Tenzou said, shrugging. 

Kakashi closed his book. "What's gotten into you today?"

"Nothing!" Tenzou snapped.

"Nothing?"

Tenzou sighed. "I'm just not feeling up for this today."

Kakashi studied him again. "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the tree this morning?"

"I'm leaving," Tenzou announced. "We can't all be perfect and amazing and wonderful like you, sorry!"

With that, he left with nothing announcing his departure, nor that he was ever there.

A perfect ANBU exit if there ever was one.

Kakashi continued to look at the spot his kohai had filled, and sighed.

"Some days," he began, "I just wish you'd be a bit kinder to yourself, Tenz. Then maybe I wouldn't have to just joke about us as much..."

____________

Tenzou completed his shift patrolling the village, and found himself grateful at the end that it had been uneventful.

Kakashi was right, he thought to himself as he darted through the trees deep into the woods.

"I was grumpy today," he sighed. "Not every day is okay, and that's okay...right?"

He tried to focus on his chakra and pushed himself harder, faster, farther, to clear his mind, before coming to a moderately sized open area between some trees, still sheltered by the forest canopy.

Tenzou dropped to the ground and ran through some familiar hand seals, creating a wooden structure for himself for the night, as he had wanted the comfort of the forest and not his lonely, small apartment.

A small cabin grew in front of his eyes, and he noted sourly that it was quite plain tonight, clearly representing his flat attitude towards himself.

Well, not flat, he thought. Uninterested. Apathetic.

"Apathetic," he said, nodding. "That's me, tonight. No interest, just existing. Nothing underneath the underneath," he sighed, one of Kakashi's favorite phrases infiltrating his brain.

He cursed his thoughts and set up wards and barriers, working to ensure that no one would stumble upon him and his humble abode, especially as he didn't have work the following day and could sleep in.

Having eaten a meal before coming out, he entered the cabin and removed his pack from his shoulders, pulling out his bedroll, a sleeping bag, a book, and a few snacks and water.

Tenzou shifted his belongings around here and there, feeling increasingly frustrated with the arrangement until he just gave up and laid down, face first onto his sleeping bag, and groaned loudly into it.

He rolled over onto his back and let his mind wander, looking out the window of the cabin.

The sun began to set, and darkness began to take over the forest, and still his thoughts went to wherever they desired.

Memories, thoughts, feelings drifted in and out.

He revisited his childhood, what he dared to.

The experiments.

The isolation, physically, mentally, emotionally.

The ebb and flow throughout his life of belonging, losing, belonging, losing.

Tenzou reflected that the same could be said of anyone's life, really, especially a shinobi's life.

Was his so different, really?

Sure, he had a...unique...childhood, but so did how many others, in their own way?

Time and again, his thoughts would drift to Kakashi.

Their similarities, their differences. Their run-ins with each other over how many years?

Kakashi, who treated him with more respect and kindness than he deserved. More than he could show himself.

And, really, Tenzou thought to himself, how could he, when he couldn't hold a match to the copy nin?

Sometimes, he just felt so lost, so confused.

On days like this, Tenzou just didn't know who he was, who he really was.

A shinobi of Konoha?

A lost child?

A monster?

An experiment gone wrong? Gone right?

He would even find himself doubting his senpai's kindness towards him. Perhaps all these years it was just a sense of duty. Kakashi had to train him when they were in ANBU together, had to interact with him.

"But," his brain interjected, "he didn't have to spend extra time with you, out of ANBU uniform. And now that he's retired and a jonin-sensei, he definitely doesn't have to give you the time of day. But he does."

Tenzou sighed and shook his head, rubbing his face with a hand.

"But he loves to have double and triple meanings on things, run us all in circles," he said aloud to himself. "Like today. How am I supposed to take what he said seriously? Sure, it would be...nice...but I'm crazy for even reading into it."

Tenzou sighed again. "And now I'm talking to myself. Great."

He decided to meditate, to focus on his breathing, on the sounds of nature, and tried to not let his mind wander too much as the last rays of the sun left the forest and night arrived, sleep eventually calling him.

____

Tenzou had no work the next day, so he decided to stay another day and night out in his cabin, as he had brought enough food to allow himself that option.

He exercised, took a quick dip in a stream, and laid outside reading that afternoon, when his wards told him someone was approaching.

Tenzou reached for a kunai, hands also ready to bring up any number of wood-release traps he had set.

Why would someone be out in this random area of the woods? It was far removed from anything, and not often used for even training.

"Yo," a voice called out, and his shoulders relaxed as tension left him.

"Senpai," he sighed. "What are you doing out here? How did you even find me?"

He relaxed his wards and Kakashi dropped down from a tree, hands in his pockets, shrugging.

"Maa, I'm good with scents, it wasn't hard."

"You could smell me even with all the trees?" Tenzou asked before he could stop himself.

Kakashi shrugged and gave him a trademark eye smile. "I know your scent, Tenz."

Tenzou shook his head. "What do you want?"

He ran through some hand seals and created a bench for them to sit on.

"You seemed out of sorts yesterday," Kakashi said, lounging on his side of the bench. "I wanted to check up on you."

Tenzou's stomach began to swirl with a range of confused emotions, not wanting to allow himself to read into the other man's words.

"I'm okay," he said. 

"No you're not," Kakashi immediately said. "What's going on?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, not looking at each other, before Tenzou spoke.

"I just...I don't know. I feel like I'm still struggling to know who I am. Since I stopped being an experiment, since I left ROOT, since...I just don't know. It's been one thing after another, and some days I just don't know who or what I am."

They sat in silence again.

"And," Tenzou began, "with you leaving to be a jonin-sensei, I guess I'm still adjusting to you not being in ANBU with me." 

To not being with me in general, he wanted to say.

"I'm still in your life, even if I'm not wearing that mask anymore," Kakashi said. "I'll always have your back. And everyone struggles to figure out who they are. Look at me, it's been years of things being...uneven...and every day now I'm still not sure I'm doing things right."

"What?" Tenzou asked, looking at him, and Kakashi shrugged.

"Me, in charge of kids? You think it's easy? That I know what I'm doing? They're the worst, like mini demons! You'd think they'd be eager to learn and would snap into shape right away, like a new ANBU recruit, but no, not at all."

Tenzou laughed in spite of himself, and Kakashi playfully sighed.

"The great copy nin, brought down by mere children?" Tenzou teased.

"Yeah, yeah," Kakashi said, narrowing his eye at him. "I should have you meet them some time, you'll see what I mean." He sat back in the bench. "That's a good idea. Maybe I'll recommend you as my number two in command if Team 7 ever needs it."

"Hey, no need to jump to conclusions," Tenzou said, holding up his hands. "I don't need that level of headache in my life."

"Too late," Kakashi said. "So, are we staying out here tonight, or heading into town for dinner?"

"What?"

"What?" Kakashi repeated, blinking at Tenzou. "I'm free, you're free. Let's hang out."

"I came out here for me-time," Tenzou laughed. "Middle of the woods, by myself, that sort of thing."

Kakashi pouted underneath his mask, to Tenzou's surprise. "You don't want to spend time with me?"

Tenzou felt his face heat up. "N-no, that's not what I meant..."

"Great, then here or on the town?" Kakashi asked, looking at Tenzou's cabin. "Your place looks a little small, but I guess it just means we'll be cozy tonight."

"Let's head back!" Tenzou said, unsure of being in such a confined space with the other man, given how his feelings were all...jumbled...by him.

Kakashi gave him an upside down eye smile as he pulled out his book.

"It's a date, then. But we have time to kill before dinner," he said, settling in to read.

Tenzou returned his attention to his own book, Kakashi's words ringing in his head over and over.

He internally sighed, knowing he would not be reading anymore...

______

Tenzou woke up the next morning in a bed that was not his own. He blearily opened his eyes and looked around.

"Senpai," he sighed.

"Mmm, call me 'Kakashi' in bed," a gruff voice said to his left, as its owner snuggled into him.

Tenzou shook his head as he yawned. It was too early in the morning for his thoughts to go crazy, he told himself.

"How did I end up in your bed?" Tenzou asked.

"You drank a little too much and I didn't want you to sleep on the sofa," Kakashi said, muffled by a blanket. "You're always so cute when you get like that."

"Like what?" Tenzou asked, against his better judgement.

Kakashi opened his right eye and peered at him.

Tenzou's heart jumped. The blanket covered almost all of his face, and his hair was more ruffled than usual.

And his face, his face was so close to Tenzou's.

"You just get all...quiet...and sighing a lot...and you make a cute frowny face," Kakashi said, his eye now curving into a smile. "If it helps, you only ever do that when it's just you and me."

Tenzou sighed. "I'm glad we decided to come here to drink and not continue to a bar after dinner," he said. "Hey, don't you have to get up and meet your team?"

Kakashi yawned and shrugged underneath the blanket. "I'm usually late, it is what it is. You?"

"I don't have to be in til the afternoon," Tenzou said. "It's only seven."

"Good, then let's go to sleep again," Kakashi said, moving his body closer to Tenzou's.

To his surprise, Tenzou soon felt sleep drawing him in, the warmth from his friend making him drowsy.

______

Tenzou didn't see Kakashi again for a few days, and in that time spent much time reflecting on, well, him. He and the copy nin. Them. Whichever. Whatever.

His brain argued that Kakashi wasn't just being nice anymore, right? No one goes out of their way to track someone in the woods in their free time (and outside of a mission), or spends a night with them, or cuddles.

And sure, Tenzou had spent nights at the other man's apartment before, but rarely, if ever, in his bed.

And certainly, the other man had a) not been there when he woke, and b) they had not cuddled (drunk or awake, his brain pointed out).

Tenzou tried to clear his head as it moved in and out of maddening circles, and was only too grateful when one evening he felt a familiar tingling sensation flowing out from his ANBU tattoo.

Dressing in his gear quickly, he jutsued to the Hokage's office and bowed upon arrival.

The Hokage greeted him.

"Cat, I have a fairly straightforward mission for you, an assassination of a missing nin and a retrieval of a rather delicate scroll they stole."

Tenzou nodded as the Hokage continued to speak, passing him a file with additional information.

"The missing nin is especially good at evading, unfortunately, so I'm assigning you a partner who will be of much support in that area," Sarutobi said.

Cat nodded again, his thoughts moving to memories of Kakashi by his side in that role. Kakashi, who was retired from ANBU, now a jonin-sensei. Kakashi, who had hung up his Hound mask.

Kakashi, who had...materialized next to him?!

"Hound?" Cat asked, surprised. "I thought...that is..."

Sarutobi laughed, a laughter tinged with sadness, as he lit a pipe. "Hound is retired, but when a need arises, such as this, he agreed he would be available for Konoha, for Fire Country."

Hound looked at Cat and nodded.

They turned back to the Hokage, who studied them. "Review the information, you leave in three hours," the Hokage said.

"With all due respect, why not sooner?" Hound asked.

"We are acquiring items that may be useful for your mission," the Hokage informed them. "If they are ready sooner, you will be expected to leave sooner."

They nodded, and he dismissed them.

They jutsued to the roof of Hokage Tower and looked at each other.

"Pack your gear and come over, we'll have dinner and plan," Kakashi said, before leaving.

Tenzou remained in place, looking at the empty spot, and sighed.

"What is...I don't..." he said to himself, sighing, before heading home.

_______

A half hour later, Tenzou knocked on Kakashi's kitchen window before sliding it open.

Naturally, he had actually been ready much sooner, as his gear was always ready to go, but he had tried to delay his arrival. He just wasn't ready to see the copy nin yet.

"Took you long enough," a familiar drawl called out.'

Tenzou rolled his eyes as he set his pack down and toed off his sandals, closing the window behind him.

"We do have time," he reminded the older man. "Unless our items came?"

"No, and I'm hungry," Kakashi semi-whined from his seat at the small kitchen table, his feet propped up on a chair. "Food's been ready."

Tenzou looked around, surprised. "You cooked?"

"I cooked," Kakashi parroted. "You know I cook," he said, standing and moving to serve food.

"Well, yeah," Tenzou began, "but you don't usually cook for me..."

"Maa, aside from when we're hungover, you mean," Kakashi teased. "I do do nice things for you, you know."

"I know," Tenzou said in a smaller voice than he meant. "I appreciate it, senpai. It smells delicious," he said, with a large smile.

Kakashi paused and studied him for a moment before giving him an eye smile. "Good. Let's eat and review the plan."

Tenzou served the food and they sat, eating a curry and rice dish while they talked.

"So, missing nin, missing scroll," Kakashi drawled. "Fairly straightforward."

Tenzou raised an eyebrow at him. "You can't be serious."

Kakashi shrugged, and Tenzou sighed.

"Senpai, if it was that easy, would it be tasked to ANBU? And to, well, you?"

Kakashi's unmasked mouth quirked as he ate. Tenzou swallowed down not only the tasty food, but the butterflies he always got in seeing the copy nin's bare face.

"Why are you here?" Tenzou finally asked.

Kakashi looked around as he ate. "I live here?"

Tenzou sighed. "I meant, part of this mission. You retired," he gently reminded the other man.

"Mostly retired, yes," Kakashi said, shifting in his chair. "I also did so with the unofficial agreement between myself and ANBU leaders, and the Hokage, that I would be available for missions that require my skill."

Tenzou furrowed his brow. "Isn't that all of them?"

"Maa, you flatter me," Kakashi mused, batting his eye at him. Tenzou rolled his eyes but felt his face flush. "I meant more like my skills related to tracking. Myself, and the pack. And it sounds like you'll need it for this man," he said, tapping the file.

Tenzou nodded as he turned the file towards him and perused it. "The missing nin seems to have a special kekkei genkai that helps him to appear invisible, in a number of ways."

He frowned as he processed this information.

"We're going to look for an invisible man?"

Kakashi snorted. "That's just a story told to scare people in the dark. He just disguises his chakra in some way. Hopefully I won't have too much trouble tracking him even with whatever he does."

Tenzou nodded again. "So, not invisible, but seems invisible. Changes the reflection of light? Or strong genjutsu?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Possibly. We know he was last tracked to this village," he said, pointing to a spot on the map, "where he stole the scroll."

"They're a smaller village, and it's an important scroll, so it makes sense they'd look to hire specialists for help," Tenzou said. He read more of the report. "He has a habit of stealing important documents, likely to sell to the highest bidder on the black market."

They studied the map in silence as they ate, following the path of theft attributed to the missing nin.

"If he's heading to another top spot, it would be across this forest, to this village," Tenzou said, drawing an imaginary line on the map with his finger.

"Where there's a small royal family," Kakashi agreed. "Likely something worth his time and effort there."

"So we'll head to the last village he stole from, this morning, and try to catch the trail from there. If not, we head northeast to the expected next village," Tenzou said, and Kakashi hummed in agreement.

They ate in comfortable silence and did the dishes.

Tenzou couldn't help but laugh inwardly at how his day was turning out, and how...at odds...this seemed. Eating a home cooked meal and doing dishes together, then heading out on a mission to find and kill someone?

Is this what it would be like, if he and Kakashi were actually a couple?

He shook his head to rid himself of those thoughts. They were just thoughts, dreams, and he'd best not be in that mindset ahead of such a mission.

Tenzou felt Kakashi's gaze on him, and his cheeks burned. 

"Senpai?"

Kakashi continued to study him for a moment before giving him an upside down eye smile. "Nothing. Just admiring the view," he said, winking, and Tenzou rolled his eyes.

"Must you tease before a mission?"

"It's a way to unwind. I'm learning it from my kids. I really should introduce you sometime. After all, I went ahead and recommended you take over if I was unable to be team leader for a while."

"What?"

"It's nothing, but sure, why not?"

"I...you...you can't do that! I'm ANBU, not a jonin-sensei!"

"Maa, you're a jonin, you could be a fill-in sensei. You've got a good head and heart, and you're eager to help others. And, more importantly, I trust you," Kakashi quietly said.

Before Tenzou could respond, a messenger hawk tapped on the window, and they opened it and accepted a scroll from the bird.

Kakashi unrolled and unsealed it. "Soldier pills, a special type I see. Probably because we're heading out overnight unexpectedly. Boots and gloves?"

Tenzou shrugged. "We are heading north and into a colder area, though it seems a bit much."

Kakashi mimicked Tenzou's shrug and divided up the new gear. "Maa, you'll cuddle and keep me warm, won't you?" he asked Tenzou, and snickered at the other man's blush.

They added the supplies to their own packs and quickly changed into their ANBU uniforms, soon heading out on their mission.

_______

They raced to the village who had hired them to try to be able to start tracking the missing nin, and arrived in the middle of the morning.

They paused and popped soldier pills, and Kakashi moved his masks out of the way slightly. 

Tenzou shuffled slightly in place, there was a definite chill in the air this far north, and this early in the day.

Kakashi began to wander around at a slow pace, and soon nodded to himself before turning to Tenzou.

"I've got something. I wasn't sure at first, but it's definitely a new scent, a different scent."

Tenzou nodded. "Anything to suggest what we're going up against?"

Kakashi shook his head. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but hopefully I can as it grows stronger."

Tenzou nodded again, and Kakashi took the lead, following their new trail.

At about noon, they paused for a slight break, including to eat some food to refuel, and to review the map.

They sat side by side in a tree, and Kakashi, sat to the other man's left, perched his chin on Tenzou's left shoulder to see the map.

"Are you okay?" Tenzou asked, and Kakashi nodded. "Would you like me to move over so you have more space?"

"Maa, I'm fine with this. I'm a bit cold, so I'm just stealing your warmth." Tenzou sighed, and Kakashi pouted underneath his mask. "You know I get cold easily," he semi-whined, and Tenzou couldn't help but quietly laugh.

"Good to know leaving ANBU hasn't changed too many things about you," Tenzou joked.

They returned their attention to the map.

"The scroll was stolen yesterday morning, or during the overall night leading up to the morning," Tenzou reviewed. "We were informed of their request for help in the afternoon, and it took a bit for it to be approved and given to us, plus time to wait for supplies."

"So, our missing nin had, what, easily twelve hours on the road before we were even called to the Hokage's office," Kakashi mused. "And by the time we got his trail...if we're lucky, he's not quite made it to the next village by tonight, since it is quite far away. He's probably just expecting to go up against village guards, at civilian speeds, and that he's got time to take it easy."

Tenzou nodded. "Probably. Hopefully we can catch him tonight when he's set up camp and let his guard down a bit."

Kakashi agreed and they soon set off again.

____

"It's getting dark quite early," Tenzou mused as they darted from tree to tree.

Kakashi nodded, his white mask a stark contrast to the slowly darkening forest around them.

Tenzou reflected on the sight of Hound's mask. He had not expected to see it again when Kakashi told him he was retiring, and certainly thought a return was out of the question when he shared news of not only becoming a jonin-sensei, but that his team had actually passed their first test!

So much of his personal and professional life revolved around the other man, and he had begun to process how it was changing with his departure from ANBU, but now this?

They were a team again, acting like they had never stopped working together. Falling into step, knowing they had each other's back.

Trusting, fully trusting the other.

Tenzou's heart clenched. Would he ever trust someone in the same way? Could he? 

Did he want to?

He had already spent a lifetime with the copy nin, or at least that's how it felt sometimes, being in ANBU.

Could he be selfish and ask for more time with him? Outside of ANBU, outside of their shinobi blues?

Was he worthy of it? He wasn't sure.

But when Kakashi looked at him, when he was kind, when it was times like this, and it felt like they were the only ones alive....

Well, he had a lot of thinking to do.

After the mission, Tenzou reminded himself, as he pushed off from another branch.

____

Nighttime had fully crept in before they paused again.

"Do you smell that?" Kakashi asked, quietly.

Tenzou tried, but he couldn't discern anything. "Just fresh night air?" he suggested.

"Fresh, cold night air," Kakashi corrected him.

Tenzou cocked his head to the right side as he thought about this. "Temperatures always drop at night, and we knew this was a colder area," he said, wiggling his fingers in the chill, his mind beginning to think about putting the new gloves on.

"It's a bit too cold for this time of year here," Kakashi said. "We're not in danger of snow or ice, and there's not even going to be a morning frost, yet it smells like it."

"Frost?"

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed. "The scent. I couldn't put a name on it before, but it's cold. It literally smells like the start of winter."

Tenzou scratched the back of his own neck as he considered this. "The missing nin does something with frost?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know, but it's not entirely unheard of. Admittedly, I'm not sure just yet what I have to combat it, but if we can get a view of his jutsus, I think we'll be able to figure something out."

Tenzou nodded and they took off again.

The temperature dropped as they continued, nothing immediate, but gradually. Tenzou was still unsure what was related to the missing nin and what was part of the natural coolness of night, especially in this climate.

Kakashi held up a hand as they ran, field signals for "stronger, power," and Tenzou knew they were getting closer.

He allowed himself to relax just a bit, taking comfort in knowing they had definitely not lost the trail.

Kakashi slowed his pace and Tenzou matched it, and they masked their chakra as they crept through the forest, mindful of any wards they may set off, or hidden wires in their path.

Tenzou motioned to Kakashi silently. "Clear."

Kakashi nodded, and held up his arms on either side in a shrug, asking "why?"

They continued forward, and came to a stop, both too shocked to move.

There, in a clearing in the trees was a medium sized igloo.

An ice house, straight out of a children's book, glistening in the moonlight.

The air around the clearing was downright freezing, and they exchanged a look and retreated a bit.

They quickly took out the boots and gloves and donned them, embracing the new warmth.

Kakashi drew out a blanket and tossed it over their shoulders as they sat on their packs on the ground, huddled together for warmth under the fabric, quietly planning.

"Thank kami you're so warm," Kakashi sighed, pressing his body closer to Tenzou's, who was too cold and in shock of what they saw to actually think about their semi-embrace.

"I-it's f-f-freezing!" Tenzou said, quietly. "What kind of kekkai genkai is this?!"

"A winter one of sorts," Kakashi mused. "Ice control, temperature control, or something like that. 

"So, wind and water chakra?" Tenzou asked, and he felt Kakashi nod. He sighed. "This sucks."

Kakashi quietly laughed, and Tenzou couldn't help but hold his breath at the sound of it right by his ear. "Life of an ANBU, eh? Can't say I've missed this part of it all."

"Yeah, senpai, you've really missed out on getting down and dirty all the time," Tenzou said. "But it's no wonder this guy appeared invisible, he's literally tracked by the cold."

"Not to mention, his hideout is rather...unique. The freezing temperatures probably deter people from getting too close to him or even noticing his chakra. Still, I prefer the houses you build to this one."

"Noted," Tenzou laughed. "I'll make us a cozy, extra insulated one when we're done."

"Can't wait!" Kakashi said, and Tenzou's stomach flipped.

"So, his house is made of ice, chakra stabilized ice. I don't know much about igloos, but if my houses have wooden floors, his probably has an ice floor too."

They thought about this.

"It's a gamble," Kakashi mused. "It might be there for insulation, but it might be warmer to sleep on the ground. And if he has a high tolerance for the cold, he might not care about it either way."

Tenzou nodded. "And if he's thinking no one is nearby, he might not be as vigilant as he could be. The floor is probably the best way to attack, then."

"You send up a wooden whatever to start, and I'll use the chidori to break through when he's caught off guard."

Tenzou agreed, and Kakashi bit his thumb and slammed it on the ground.

The pack appeared, looking at the two grown men huddled under a blanket together in front of them.

"Evening, boss," Pakkun growled. "How's it going?"

"It's going," Kakashi said, nonchalantly.

"Hi, Cat!" Bisuke said. "Brr, it's cold out!"

Tenzou greeted the pack. "We've got a snowman up ahead we have to take down," he explained, and the dogs looked at them in confusion.

The men laughed and caught them up.

"You're to form a perimeter around us in case he tries to get away," Kakashi instructed them. "Hopefully we're catching him asleep or relaxing, but just in case."

They nodded and Kakashi folded up the blanket, groaning as the cold returned, and they headed back towards the igloo.

The dogs set off to get to their positions, and Tenzou stood in front of a large, wide tree, at the edge of the clearing.

His hands were poised in front of him, and he nodded at Kakashi, who nodded back and leapt away.

Tenzou counted as they had agreed, and braced his legs in a wide stance as he ran through hand seals.

He focused on the igloo and soon yelling could be heard from within.

"Ahh! What?! What's going on! You let me go!" the missing nin shouted.

Then, there was a flurry of action.

The sound of Kakashi's chidori rang in the air, along with the missing nin's own shouts for his jutsu, mixed with frustration and anger that he was caught in a fight.

Tenzou wasn't sure if the igloo had exploded from the chidori, or if it was the missing nin's doing, but suddenly large ice spears were headed his way.

He ran through more hand seals and raised up the earth in front of him for a barrier, which barely collided with the ice in time.

The firm dirt walls were slammed backwards, into Tenzou, throwing him into the tree behind him, momentarily stunning him.

He blinked and shook his head a few times, then ran around the earthen barrier, which had definitely moved but was still intact, albeit with ice sticking out from the front of it.

Tenzou breathed a sigh of relief and turned towards the igloo, or rather, what remained of it.

A small ring of ice on the ground was still present, and small parts of the walls here and there, nothing above knee height, and certainly nothing where Kakashi had entered it.

The missing nin was on his stomach on the ground, hands tied behind his back with restraints ANBU used to cut off chakra.

"You okay?" Kakashi asked Tenzou as he approached.

"I'm okay. You?"

Kakashi nodded and held up the man's pack. "Let's search this, and him."

The missing nin spat curses at them, which they ignored as they searched, the pack approaching to help.

Soon they stood and dusted off their new scrolls.

"Got everything," Kakashi said, and they loomed over the missing nin.

"Any last words?" Tenzou asked, and the missing nin glared.

"Screw you both!"

Tenzou sighed, and Kakashi laughed. 

"I've only got eyes for Cat, sorry," he said, pulling out his katana and swiftly bringing it down on the missing nin's head.

Tenzou unrolled a scroll and they sealed the body and head in it, tucking it alongside the other scrolls the missing nin had stolen.

"It's getting warmer!" Bull grumbled, and they all paused. 

The temperature was climbing, but it was still fairly cold.

"I guess it's a long lasting jutsu," Kakashi sighed. "I'll feel the cold again soon once the excitement dies down."

They thanked the pack and Kakashi dispersed them, and the two ANBU stood looking at each other.

"That insulated house is sounding pretty good right now," Kakashi commented. "All we need to do is head back, but we have been on the move for over 24 hours."

"Those soldier pills are something," Tenzou said. "I suppose we could benefit from a small rest." He looked around. "Just...not here."

Kakashi nodded and they headed to a more secluded area away from the scene of death, and Kakashi set up wards and barriers as Tenzou constructed a small, extra-insulated cabin.

They ducked inside and audibly sighed at the warmer temperature, and began to set up their bedding.

"It'll be warmer if we put yours under us, and mine on top," Kakashi said, and Tenzou agreed.

Soon, they were laying next to each other, huddled again for warmth.

"This is warmer than it was, but I'll be happy for a hot shower, a hot meal, and my warm bed," Tenzou sighed.

He could feel Kakashi nod, and realized the man was still shivering slightly.

"Senpai," Tenzou sighed, "come here," he said, pulling the man into him and wrapping his arms around him.

Kakashi's arms wrapped around Tenzou's middle, and Tenzou could feel him start to relax as their body heat mixed.

Sleep began to claim them both, and as he drifted to sleep, Tenzou thought about Kakashi's words in the clearing.

"I've only got eyes for Cat."

_______

The sun was just barely signalling it was early morning when they woke.

Kakashi grumbled about having to leave their bed and Tenzou smiled underneath his mask at his senpai's complaints.

A few rations bars later and they had packed and set off, Tenzou reminding the copy nin that he would be warmer once they started to move, and especially as they travelled closer to home.

They travelled largely in silence, minds set on getting home, showered, and warm.

It still took over twelve hours, but it was an easier route, in a sense, as they did not have to track anything, just head straight home.

Konoha was dark when they arrived back and gave their report, passing along the scroll containing the body, the scroll they had been tasked to retrieve, and several other scrolls the missing nin had stolen.

The Hokage praised them and thanked them for a job well done, and they were soon dismissed.

They again found themselves on a rooftop, alone, in the dark.

Tenzou had been dreading this, saying goodbye. His mind had gone over it countless times on the way home.

He yearned to reach out to the other man, but could he handle being turned down?

And what did he want to ask for, anyway?

Tenzou wasn't sure. How do you ask for something from another person, when you don't know how to offer it to yourself to begin with? He still was so unsure of himself most days, what kind of foundation did that give him for a relationship?

And now that Kakashi wasn't in ANBU and had a different life, surely it wasn't fair to ask him to be involved with someone who would be out of the village on dangerous missions, even if he was familiar with that life?

"Well, until next time, I suppose," Tenzou said, slightly stiffly.

"What?" Kakashi drawled.

"You're retired, right? So, I'll see you around."

Kakashi shook his head, nearby lights dancing on his mask. "You're not getting away that easily. I'm still freezing, and you're a good source of warmth."

"What?" Tenzou asked, but before he could say anything more, Kakashi had transported them to his living room.

"Why are we here?" Tenzou asked.

"Well, your place might have nicer furniture, but my bed is bigger and more comfortable," Kakashi said, beginning to take his ANBU armor off.

"I don't understand," Tenzou said, letting Kakashi move into his space and gently take off his ANBU mask.

Kakashi reached up and pulled his cloth mask down.

"I meant what I said," he said, softly. "I've only got eyes for you. And I'm taking advantage of us having had a mission together, time together, again, and not letting you go. Again."

Tenzou blinked, his nerves jumbling together in his stomach. "I...I don't know...I'm not..."

Kakashi shook his head. "Whatever you think, just stop. We've got too much of a past to argue about little things. We make a good team, and I want to keep it going. Not like this," he said, motioning to their gear. "Here," he said, waving a hand around his apartment. "My place, your place. Real life. I'm not knocking ANBU, but my priorities have changed a bit dealing with the brats. Maybe I've gotten softer," he said, laughing quietly. 

"This isn't just because you're freezing and want to steal my warmth?" Tenzou quietly asked, biting his lip.

"Well, yes, I definitely plan to do that," Kakashi admitted. "Tonight, and whenever I'm cold. We could have a good thing, you and I."

Tenzou smiled. "You and I, I like the sound of that."

"Good," Kakashi said, and leaned in to quickly kiss Tenzou on the lips. "Now let's grab a warm shower, I'm so cold I can't feel anything, and I want to feel everything tonight," he said, winking at Tenzou, who laughed.

"I think I'm in trouble," he said, letting Kakashi take his hand and lead him to the shower. "But I can't wait."


End file.
